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Norwich sign goalkeeper Kean

The 24-year-old has signed a two-year deal at Carrow Road and becomes City’s fifth summer signing following the arrivals of Graham Dorrans, Youssuf Mulumbu, Robbie Brady and Andre Wisdon.

Norwich manager Alex Neil believes the move can breathe new life into a career which has stalled in recent seasons and he expects Kean to compete with Declan Rudd for the right to back up starter John Ruddy.

Neil said: “Jake is a good, up-and-coming goalkeeper. We obviously have Declan Rudd here as our number two goalkeeper, and we’ve sent Remi Matthews out on loan to get match experience, which I think is important for him.

“We needed to make sure we had cover for the goalkeeping position and we wanted to bring in someone who could push Declan.

“Having spoken to Dean Kiely, we decided that Jake was someone who fits the bill. A few years ago he was spoken of in the same terms as goalkeepers like Jack Butland who have gone on to become important first team ‘keepers.

“Jake has maybe just lost his way a little but we are hoping to give him the platform here to go on and reach those heights again.”

Kean, who made 44 appearances for Blackburn, said: “This is a massive opportunity for me.

“I had other offers, but as soon as I knew Norwich were interested, I could have just switched off my phone because I wasn’t going to entertain anything else. A couple of years ago I was flying high but unfortunately my knee injury has made it quite a difficult road to get back to where I was.

“I feel that with the support Alex Neil and Dean Kiely have shown me here already, I’m not going to be far away from getting back to that level.”